


Hide and Seek

by Micte



Category: Jupiter Ascending (2015)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-24
Updated: 2015-04-04
Packaged: 2018-03-15 00:06:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 9,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3430526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Micte/pseuds/Micte
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ignorance is bliss. </p><p>**same universe // different ending**</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Kiza's letter

**Author's Note:**

> Since we're in this situation where we have to write the fanfic we want to read... this is my shot at JA fanfiction. This baby fandom needs us and I'm going to help with all my cheesiness, so please, be patient. 
> 
> Also english is not my native language and (because this fandom is just starting) I don't have a beta, so please, be super patient. (And feel free to correct me. I learn faster when people explain things nicely :3 ) 
> 
> Thanks.

_Dear Caine:_

_Have you ever received a letter? This is the first one I’ve ever written, so feel lucky I’m sending it to you._

_Dad told me that it’s been millions of years since the people in the other galaxies stopped sending written messages in favor of recordings and holograms, but letters are still popular on Earth and I think I know why._

_Ink and paper are like flesh and blood. They get old and wrinkly, just as Earth’s humans do. So they keep them for years and when they take them out to read again they can actually see and feel the passing of time._

_Can you feel the time pass?_

_It’s been almost a year since the last time we saw you and I wonder constantly about you, but dad doesn’t share any news. He says it’s confidential, but I think he’s just scared that Her Majesty will listen by accident._

_So this is the part when I tell you that she’s fine and you don’t have to worry. I can’t give you any more details because I’m sure captain Tsing will read this before giving it to you but I just want you to know that what they say it’s true._

_Ignorance is bliss and Jupiter is happy._

_I hope you’ve found happiness too._

_Love,_

_Kiza_

_PS: I’ll be waiting for your letter._


	2. Jupiter's life

“I brought dinner!” Jupiter set the bags on the table and the sound of the rushed steps on the stairs made her feel a little better. 

“Is it Chinese?” asked Mizton diving her face on the closest bag without even looking at her. Jupiter tried to smile at her curly afro but that didn’t fool Kiza when she entered the kitchen.

“Is everything all right?” the blond girl ignored the food, walking towards her. 

“Yeah…” she tried to keep her voice normal. She didn’t expect her to notice that soon what a mess she was inside, “I just thought of coming a little earlier so we could have a girl’s night… watch a movie and eat… together…”

“I want sushi”, complained Mizton letting the burger box on the table while falling hard on her chair. 

“That’s not Chinese”, said Kiza without taking her eyes from Jupiter, “so what did he do?”

She couldn’t pretend in front of the girls. Even Mizton, who didn’t ask her much about her life, was giving her that intense look, as if she knew already.

“We fought over the phone and he broke up with me. Or I broke up with him I’m not sure…”, Kiza hugged her and Mizton went to the fridge. 

“We’re gonna need some beer…”

“And ice cream,” added Jupiter wiping a tear off her lashes before it fell. She was determined not to let that asshole ruin her Friday night. 

“It’s going to be alright,” said Kiza patting her back. Jupiter chuckled; she was the oldest girl in the house, it should be her comforting the girls after their break-ups and not the other way around. 

“What kind of movie do you want?” Mizton moved the bags to the living room. 

“Something where men get hurt. A lot.”

They ate and Jupiter didn’t say a word until the movie was over. Then she ranted about the stupid things her ex had said and the stupid things she had done in response. 

The girls insulted him fervently, making Jupiter laugh. 

“I could snap his neck of you want” Mizton mimicked the motion with her long black fingers before drinking the last of her beer. She always offered to kill her ex-boyfriends and she wasn’t that creative that night. 

“Calm down serial killer…” Kiza throw a pillow at her face and Mizton let herself get hit. 

Their laughter died slowly until there was only the music of the rolling credits. 

“I just wonder… if I’m going to find someone who stays,” said Jupiter hugging a pillow. 

“Of course you will,” said Kiza confidently, “I bet the perfect man for you is out there, somewhere in the Universe…”

“Or the perfect woman,” added Mizton raising her eyebrows at Kiza. 

“Well, man, woman…or whatever, I just hope they’re not that far away…” the sound of the door opening made her raise her face, “Hi Stinger”

The man stood by the couch and studied the scene: take out boxes, empty beer cans and cups with melted ice cream. His eyes stopped finally on Jupiter’s tired face. 

“What did he do?” He asked taking off his jacket as if he had a purpose besides going to sleep after a long day at work. 

“He left me,” said Jupiter getting up and passing him by on her way to the stairs. She felt his hand on her shoulder, “like they always do”. 

She could hear their hushed voices as she closed the door of her room. She sat on the floor thinking about how weird it was to feel her existence divided. 

Jupiter’s life before Stinger and Kiza was a sad blur of dirty toilets and money problems. At that time her love life was almost non-existent; she didn’t have the time or the motivation. She felt trapped and she hated it. 

But then they took her in their home along with Mizton and everything changed: she got a different job and found good friends and colleagues. She dated some guys and had been with a few men but for some reason everyone left after saying the same thing: that there was something wrong about her. They all said after a while that it felt lonely around her, as if her sadness were contagious. 

Well, now she felt really sad and lonely and having her boyfriends ditch her all the time didn’t help at all. 

She knew it has ridiculous because she had wonderful people in her life, but it just felt as if something was missing, even after all those years. 

Maybe they were right. Maybe there was something wrong with her…

“Jupiter?” she could barely hear Kiza’s voice at the other side of the door. 

“Yeah?” she raised her head and stared miserably at her telescope by the window. 

“Dad wants to know if you want him to kick his ass”. 

“No,” she said and her laughter finally shook the tears out of her eyes, “Maybe next time”. 

“Are you happy? I mean with your life …” Kiza’s voice trembled, “… in general.”

Jupiter closed her eyes. She knew she was lucky and she felt blessed…

But also empty. 

“I will be… someday”.


	3. Mizton's job

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm uploading this chapter now 'cuz that will motivate me to write more. I might modify some things in the future so I'll tell you later if they're any updates. 
> 
> I don't know if I said it before but, since time's the most precious thing in the universe, I'd like to thank all the people that took a few minutes to give my first chapters a shot and also to those go left a comment. 
> 
> You all are the loveliest space princesses ever (and if they're any guys, yeah, you are space princesses too).

A Friday break-up meant a Saturday shopping spree. It had happened with exes number 2 and 3, so Mizton woke up early and got ready to follow Her Majesty around downtown to keep her safe. 

She tried not to think about the wings or the anti-gravity boots that would make her job so much easier if she had them and put on the dullest black boots she had ever seen in her life. Then she faced the mirror by her bed. 

“Earth’s fashion sense sucks”, she said resigned as she listened to Jupiter getting closer to her room. 

“Miz? You up?” Jupiter opened the door and stopped when she found the girl looking through a pile of sweaters on the floor, “Oh. Are you going out?” 

“Maybe. What’s up?” 

“Wanna go shopping with me and Kiza?” Jupiter managed an awkward quick smile before raising her eyebrows. Mizton noticed her big brown eyes, red and tired with blue circles underneath. 

“Sure,” said Mizton with a wide smile. The only thing she despised more than Earth’s clothes was not being close enough to properly hate them. 

Later she was laying down on the backseat of Stinger’s car. It was really nice: Jupiter driving, the cool breeze made up for the early morning heath and the best part was that she wouldn’t have to jump from roof to roof or hide behind dirty corners of the city to make sure Her Majesty was safe. 

“It’s going to be a good day,” she even dared to purr, as she listened to Kiza’s laugh. 

The statement was true for about fifteen minutes and then Mizton detected a sound that didn’t belong to the crowd of humans, just as they were entering the mall. 

“Mizton?” Kiza looked back at her.

“I remember there’s something I have to do,” said Mizton following the sight of a big shadow trying to get lost in the traffic, “I’ll catch up with you later”. 

“Don’t take long” said Jupiter and Kiza was about to add something when her cellphone rang. 

“Be careful,” whispered Mizton as soon as Jupiter turned around. 

“You too” said Kiza before answering her phone “Dad?” 

It was the last thing Mizton knew before leaving them. 

Why did she have to open her damned mouth? 

“Stinger I have an intruder too close to the Queen. I’m following him,” she whispered into the bracelet of her right hand while squeezing herself between the people passing by to follow the sound of a hard breathing and an accelerated heartbeat.

“Go back to Jupiter and Kiza. I’ll send somebody else to your position,” the voice in her ear sounded angry. Something had happened but Mizton didn’t have time to ask; she spotted the shadow just before it came to a halt and three seconds later it broke into a sprint. 

“He’s running away!” she said and shook her hand to turn the device off. Chasing someone in the middle of the day was impossible and so she was grateful when the intruder turned right into a long alley. 

She kneeled behind some boxes when she noticed there were actually two people: one big hooded man pushing a scrawny scared boy with sunglasses against a wall. 

“Who sent you here? How did you enter the planet?” 

Mizton repressed a whine of exasperation. She knew personally everyone in the Queen’s guard and that guy asking questions didn’t have any authority to do so. 

‘Stinger’s gonna kill him’ 

Before the scared little guy managed to come through with a coherent series of words Mizton took advantage of their distraction and in two agile jumps she throw herself on to them, landing effortlessly on the big guy’s back. 

“Both of you are under arrest for illegally entering Earth,” she took a knife out of her jacket and held it against the unknown vigilante’s throat. His muscles tensed and she was afraid he would try to toss her away but instead he put his hands on the air, letting the terrified boy fall on the floor, where he stood, “Good,” the girl continued, “If you behave yourselves my boss may have mercy and he’ll ask the Aegis not to execute you.” 

“May I ask the name of your boss?” the hooded man’s low voice made her knife tremble lightly. 

Mizton took a second to answer. Did that make any difference? A few years ago her boss had a good reputation on the Legion. Maybe his name could inspire some fear, “Stinger Apini,” she said, trying to sound solemn. 

The guy’s body shook with his laughter. 

“He’ll definitely try to kill me himself,” he said just before the reinforcements arrived to seize them.


	4. Stinger's failure

They were at the living room of a safe house just in front of where he actually lived with the girls.

Stinger looked at the two hybrids in front of him: handcuffed and blindfolded with a special tissue that repelled light and sound alike, thought it did nothing to Caine’s nose, so he knew exactly where he was and with whom. The other guy couldn’t sense a thing and was properly terrified. With just one look at his clothes and the feathers he had for hair, Stinger knew exactly what he was doing on Earth. 

“Take the little one to the attic,” he ordered his men, “I want everybody out, except you Mizton”. 

The girl looked confused but she said nothing and just went to stand behind him while the rest of the guard took the trembling boy away. Once they were alone Stinger tore off the blindfold from Caine’s face. 

“What the hell were you thinking?” he asked stretching his body so he could get nose to nose with the soldier. 

“I needed to talk to you,” explained Caine calmly.

“Then do so without overstepping the boundaries. Send a message. Write a letter. Don’t desert the Legion. Don’t bring an informant to my front door.” 

“I…” Caine clenched his jaw and looked at the floor, trying to avoid Stinger’s angry eyes, “So he’s… a reporter?” Caine repeated, relaxing a little. 

“He must work for The Fountain,” said Stinger, willing to ignore the Legion issue for the moment. 

“I didn’t bring him. He came on his own,” explained Caine, “When I arrived to the planet my ship detected another entering without a problem and I found it suspicious, so I followed him. You wouldn’t give a bird from The Fountain clearance to land.”

“Of course not.” Agreed Stinger stopping his steps by the window. 

“Are you sure everyone in the guard is loyal to Jupiter?” 

“Her Majesty,” corrected Mizton calmly making Stinger smile. Someone needed to remind Caine his place and besides, he wasn’t sure about the answer to his question, at least not with the recent events at hand. He turned around to find them in the middle of an annoyed staring stand off: Caine, all white except for his uniform and Mizton, all black except for her golden eyes. 

“You hired a kid as a bodyguard,” his voice sounded slightly offended.

“Focus Caine,” Stinger didn’t need his opinion on how he had decided run his mission, “ Why did you--” 

“Are you THE Caine Wise?” Mizton interrupted again but this time her boss didn’t appreciate it. Caine simply nodded “Wow,” she smiled, but it didn’t reach her big eyes, “Thanks for not going all super soldier on me earlier”, she said walking casually to the door until Stinger’s voice stopped her. 

“You stay in this room,” he extended his hand at her, “And give me your phone. You’re not telling Kiza that he’s here. He’s leaving now”. 

Both of them looked at him with distressed expressions and for a second he felt he had three children instead of one. 

Mizton got her phone out of her pocket and handed it to him “If he’s leaving, can I at least give him the letters?” 

“She wrote more?” Caine shifted uncomfortable in his handcuffs. 

“What letters? I don’t have time for this. The Aegis are on their way and we need to discuss what’s going to happen--” 

“Jupiter cannot leave Earth,” said Caine with a grave voice. 

“It’s not your decision to make,” Stinger looked at him meaningfully. 

Caine was about to argue but Mizton caught his attention when she approached the window, “They are back,” she said, leaning on the wall. 

Stinger noticed Caine’s expression hardened: this was the closest they’ve been in years and it could only mean trouble, especially for him. 

A hiss brought them both out of their thoughts. 

“There’s another one!” Mizton opened up the window to jump out of the house. 

Stinger followed her and saw another young man walking towards Jupiter as she left the car. Where the rest of his men sleeping? There was no way of arresting him now without her noticing. 

“My Queen!” 

Kiza turned before Jupiter did and gasped as she saw Mizton put a knife against the reporter’s throat. 

“Mizton what are you doing?” Jupiter tried to get close to her but Kiza held her back. 

“I just want to ask her—” Mizton’s hand covered the reporter’s mouth but he kept trying to talk. Stinger heard the girl scream and got to them just in time to see the man yell at Jupiter with bloody lips “Your Majesty, how do you feel about Titus Abrasax’s death?!”


	5. Stinger’s failure (II)

One moment everything was a mess and the next there was only silence: Kiza stopped pulling Jupiter towards the house, Mizton let her bleeding hand fall by her side and everything made sense to Stinger. 

The youngest Abrasax heir was dead. 

“W-what? Who the hell is Titus Abrasax?” she asked directly at him and he just stared in return as the stranger started laughing loudly. 

“The Queen erased her memories!” he said with a maniac smile on his bloody lips “People will go crazy!” 

His laugh ended as someone punched him on the face. Mizton stepped back, letting him fall to the floor while she licked her wounded hand.

-You should have done this yourself- said Caine being careful not to look at Jupiter’s direction. 

Stinger saw his daughter’s eyes almost glow as she recognized the soldier and he could say pretty much the same about Jupiter’s face, though he was sure she didn’t recognize him. 

-Put him with the other one- it was better to keep them afar from each other. 

Caine nodded and waited a few seconds before picking the unconscious man over his shoulders. The handcuffs were hanging from his right wrist. The bastard. 

He noticed Kiza starting to walk after him but a tiny shake of his head made her stay in place. 

“Stinger what… what was all that? He said somebody died,” Jupiter looked at the three of them but nobody could answer; at least not yet, “He said… he called me Queen, he must be mad. And who’s that guy? Do you know him?” 

Stinger looked at the floor, defeated, and pointed at their house, “Let’s go… we’ll talk inside…” 

“Mizton…” Kiza held the girl’s hand between hers and lead them into the house. 

Stinger felt a knot in his stomach as he entered the house: everything was about to change. 

They sat at the kitchen table, as they would have done that night to have dinner together if things weren’t getting out of his control that fast. They observed in silence as Kiza retrieved a box from a cupboard and then she took the Regenerex spray. For a moment Stinger expected Jupiter to protest against using it, but she didn’t know what it was nor what it was made of. 

He looked closely at her reactions while Kiza cured Mizton’s had: the wonder in her eyes was identic as the first time she saw him curing Caine’s wounds. 

“How did you do that?” the amazement didn’t last long; her mind sure was racing, “What is going on? Why is Mizton acting like an assassin? And since when do you need henchmen?” 

The three girls waited for his answer; he was after all, the man in charge of that mission. He took a moment to look around at the house that had been his second home on earth for the last five years. It was mostly like his first house, except it was closer to the city and there were no bees around. Still, he liked it and he was going to miss it. 

“We are not who you think we are,” he started to explain, looking as his daughter’s brief endearing smile, “and neither are you. Long story short: you are one of the heirs of an ancient dynasty that owns a big part of the universe and I am in charge of your safety on Earth,” It was as general as it could be. He needed to talk to the Aegis to know exactly how much he could explain, “Kiza is my daughter, that much is true, but Mizton wasn’t a girl I adopted; I hired her as your bodyguard. We’re… what you would call aliens”. 

The silence was heavy. Stinger could guess what Jupiter thought just by looking at his eyes. She thought he was crazy, then that it was all a dream and she must had also wondered how many beers she had drunk last night. 

“This is ridiculous,” she said at last, smiling, surely waiting for somebody to say that it was just an elaborate joke, “It’s not possible. I’m just an orphan. I’m nobody.” 

“You never were—”

His cellphone rang. Since the only people that sent him messages were there, it wasn’t that hard guessing who wanted to contact him. 

“Your studio,” That was it. 

“I need to make a call,” he said getting up his chair slowly and feeling old as he entered his studio. He wasn’t surprised to see a command center instead of his shelves, with Diomika Tsing and that annoying android waiting for him. 

“Is this day ever going to end?” 

“Believe me Apini, I’ve been wondering the same thing,” said the Captain, looking worried but not as in bad shape as he felt, “What happened?”

“I got two infiltrations from reporters and a request from an Abraxas ship to approach Earth today,” Stinger rubbed his face slowly, “I suppose what they said about Titus is true?”

“Sadly, it is,” said the android closing his eyes in a solemn way. 

“So what happens to the mission?” Stinger crossed his arms, waiting to officially be informed of what he already knew. 

“These kind of matters require the presence of Seraphi Abraxas’ recurrence,” explained the Captain sounding as angry as he felt, “the mission will be on hold until the measures are finished and then Jupiter may resume her life on Earth as she originally wished.” 

“Are you aware that if she leaves this planet there’s a great risk she may not come back alive?” 

“With all due respect,” said the android, “you already had two security breaches today,” his tone was too cheery for that kind of statement, “What makes you think she would be safer with you than in the Aegis’ custody?” 

Stinger was happy that they were only a projection, because he really wanted to kick the android out of his house. 

“Fine,” he spit “Is not as if you were destroying her life as she knows it. Again.” 

The Captain opened her mouth but then closed it almost immediately. He was right after all. 

“So if Titus is dead…” he continued, “That means Kalique is coming.” 

“Titus’ assistant is the one dealing with the matters of his demise”. 

“Great,” just what he needed, a familiar face to remind him of his other great failure, after this mission, obviously. He took a moment to seriously considered what this all meant for his life and Kiza’s. He discovered without surprise that he worried for Jupiter and Mizton almost in the same way he did about his daughter. 

Five years could do weird things to your priorities. 

“What have you planned for Jupiter’s security?” 

“Well,” the Captain’s expression showed that she was expecting this question, “since it was such an important issue for Her Majesty in the past I thought of asking her opinion before setting an Aegis or a Legion guard”. 

“In that case, may I suggest something?”


	6. Caine's Last Chance

He had traveled across entire systems for her, but he didn’t have the courage to cross that door, so he sat on the stairs at the porch while Jupiter asked Captain Tsing all the questions he had once answered.

 

How long was it again? Five years?

 

It seemed longer.

 

“ _How can I own the Earth?”_

 

Her scent was overwhelming and pleasant. He missed it so much that having it mixed with Mizton’s aroma didn’t bother him at all.

 

Maybe this was a bad idea. 

 

“ _Who is Titus? Why am I on his will?”_

 

Caine had acted on impulse and crossed half the universe to stop two pathetic informants. He thought there would be something more dangerous.

 

But now that the Aegis were there, it may be the best for everyone if he just left.

 

“ _So… you stayed here because I asked you to_?”

 

It wasn’t too late for him. He could still go back, ask his superior for forgiveness and take the punishment. The sooner the better.

 

“ _Why would I erase my memories?_ ”

 

This time, Caine wanted to know the answer.

 

“ _You wanted to have a normal life on Earth, as if nothing had changed,”_ said the Captain.

 

“ _But why?”_

 

“ _I’m not authorized to answer that. It’s against the orders._ ”

 

“ _And who ordered it?_ ”

 

“ _You did, Your Majesty._ ”

 

“You wanted to be happy,” murmured Caine.

 

“And she was,” Stinger came out of the house and sat by his side “I hate the law system…”

 

“You just hate Bob,” said Caine, ignoring Stinger’s piercing eyes.

 

“You’ve been on the front lines,” said Stinger gravely and Caine just nodded; the scars on his arms and face were enough explanation of how he had lived his life after Jupiter, “Haven’t you used…?”

 

“No,” it was almost true. The doctors had used it on his face one time when he was unconscious, but for the rest of his injuries he had insisted in being treated without Regenex. He had gained the worst of his scars a few years prior; it started from below his left ear and continued across his chest, under his vest. 

 

“How did you know about Titus?”

 

“Even in the Legion there are some pretty devoted fans of the Royalty,” Caine grimaced at the thought of all the people that would mourn the loss of Titus: too young, for royal standards and beautiful until the very end, “They didn’t say how he died but I assumed that…”

 

“That there were assassins involved.”

 

“Or bounty hunters,” he added, thinking about the last time, when getting Jupiter to the young heir was his mission, “I never considered the reporters…”

 

“They would risk their lives for the Queen’s statement,” Stinger shook his head on disapproval.

“The fools… ” said Caine smiling half-heartedly.

 

“Not more than the one who would risk his freedom for the Queen’s safety”, that comment took the little amusement out of Caine’s face, but Stinger was just starting, “Where are your wings?”

 

Caine sighed in frustration, looking hopelessly at his boots, “I left them behind. Figured it would be less of an offense…”

 

“A smart fool,” the hints of affection in Stingers’ voice lifted some of the weight over Caine’s shoulders. He didn’t want to disappoint him or cause him trouble, but there he was…

“I just wanted to be sure she was alright,” he tried to control his voice but the desperation he felt on his way to that planet showed again a little, making it tremble.

 

“Well she was… and she will be. She’s strong.”

 

“Isn’t there anything you can do to keep her from leaving?”

 

“No. But I did suggest that she should have a more experience bodyguard instead of Mizton. If you’re willing, obviously.”

 

Caine stopped breathing for a few seconds: that was an offer he couldn’t reject, but he had to. There were a thousand reasons why he had to obey the rules, the main one being Jupiter’s own wishes.

 

“I know what you’re thinking,” started Stinger with that tone he used to explain things to Kiza when she was ten years old, “And you’re right. You have made your choices and so has Jupiter but the truth is that the only reason she made it out of that circus alive in the first place was that you were by her side. Now someone on my guard has betrayed her to let the informants in. And even I betrayed her once...”

 

“Yeah but that was…”

 

“For Kiza. And it was wrong, and I almost got you both killed,” Caine didn’t notice Stinger had raised his voice until he fell silent. The man cleared his throat to compose himself, “I’m going to do the right thing this time. You’ll be transferred officially to Jupiter’s guard under my command and you’ll go back to the Legion after she comes back home”.

 

“You mean IF she comes back…”

 

“She will. You’ll make sure of it.”

 

Surely Stinger knew what he was asking of him. It was an unfair request, because he would do anything to help him, even if it killed him.

 

And being that close to Jupiter might just do that.

 

Stinger groaned in frustration and got up in one jump, “If you can’t do it just tell me so I can come up with an excuse for the Legi—”

 

“I’m in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! 
> 
> Well I know Im not that chatty but I just wanted to say thankyou to the people that read this even if you leave a comment or not. It is my first long fic and seeing those numbers going up motivates me. Hope you're enjoying this n.n


	7. Jupiter's Countdown

**_10\. You were right, there was something wrong with you. Some parts of you are missing._ **

 

Jupiter made a conscious effort to stop thinking and then did as Kiza had instructed: she put all her attention on her right forearm while the space police’s ship took them out of earth.

 

“ _Aegis_ ,” Jupiter repeating in her mind, trying to memorize all the little details that could come handy later “ _The police are called ‘Aegis’ and this ship is a ‘Jumper’_ ”.

 

Slowly, a silver circle with little signs surrounding it became visible on her skin and it was moving. Jupiter’s eyes grew in wonder and then she looked at the planet out of the window.

 

Her planet, Earth: in her arm and in front of her.

 

**_9\. How can you own a planet? How do you plan to rule it?_ **

 

It was as if a spell were broken. Jupiter turned to Kiza and let out a delicate ‘wow’ at the sight of her bright golden eyes. Then she turned to Mizton, who looked a little bit wilder as they drifted away from whatever it was the technology that made them look like normal humans.

 

The girl smiled at her, showing pointy white teeth and whiskers that were almost invisible from a distance.

 

“So it’s true, you’re half cat.”

 

“’ _Half_ ’ can be an exaggeration, Your Majesty.”

 

**_8\. Who are you kidding pretending to be Queen?_ **

 

Jupiter cringed. The girls’ demeanor towards her was practically the same, except they added… ‘that’ every time they talked to her. She couldn’t help but feel that suddenly she was a completely different person just because some guy died in another galaxy. It was incredible that she had to discover that most of her life was a lie thanks to a tragedy that happened so far away.

 

“Are you alright?” Kiza took her hand.

 

“Why wouldn’t I? I’m the almighty ruler of Earth…” her voice vanished and she felt Mizton’s head lay over her shoulder.

 

**_7\. Do you even know who you are anymore? Do you know who they really are?_ **

 

They stood there, watching the Earth and the Moon until they disappeared as the Jumper entered the dock of a bigger ship.

 

“This is the Cruiser,” explained Mizton guiding her to the exit. Members of the crew stopped what they were doing as she passed by and bowed in her direction. Some of them even went to their knees.

 

**_6\. This is too much._ **

 

They caught up with Stinger coming out of another ship. Kiza ran in his direction, but continued pass him and throw herself to hug a big blond guy in a uniform just behind her father.

 

And at last there it was, the closest thing to what Jupiter really needed. The questions in her mind disappeared but so did every other coherent thought.

 

It was calm without clarity.

 

It wasn’t her lost memories, but it was the sense of dejavu that she waited for since they told her she had wiped her mind up. She felt dizzy as she watched him closely. He looked a little different than before. Not that she had had the chance to really look at him, but she could see his pointy ears now.

 

His strong arms went around Kiza and even if he was scowling, he managed a little smile while whispering into her ear. Jupiter realized she could have stared at him for hours, enjoying the familiar feeling of his presence, but then Stinger called her.

 

“Your Majesty…” that phrase was impossible to ignore. The man cleared his throat and Kiza let go of the guy immediately, “I want to introduce you to Caine Wise”.

 

“Have we met before?” asked Jupiter offering him her hand.

 

“I… knocked out the crazy man that yelled at you this morning…” he explained avoiding her eyes. She marked that he barely touched her as he shook her hand.

 

“Her Majesty, ”added Mizton through gritted teeth, glaring at him. His troubled expression made Jupiter react.  

 

“No wait. It’s ok, you can just call me Jupiter if you want,” she didn’t miss on Caine’s relief even as she raised her angry eyebrows at the girl, “And I know that was you. Is just that I have this… dejavu feeling and…”

 

She looked blatantly at his face, searching for a way to explain why his presence felt familiar.

 

“I know what you mean…” Mizton took a few steps towards him, “Doesn’t he look like… what was his name? Andrew… or whatever. Your ex that looked always angry. They have the same eyes…”

 

The recognition made Jupiter’s face go red. Mizton was right. Both of them should have just kept their mouths shut.

 

 **_5_ ** **. _So he looks like your ex. Big deal. You have no time to think about men. There are more important things happening Jupiter._**

 

“And remember Thomas?” asked Kiza with a little mischievous smile on her face while approaching them to get a better view of Caine, “Wasn’t his hair the same shade of blond?”

 

“Oh, no…” Jupiter hid her face in her hands while Caine looked away from them, clearly uncomfortable. She would have gladly walked into the open space: floating away seemed less embarrassing. And the prospect of a quiet mind was appealing too.

 

“Didn’t you date a guy with a tattoo in his arm?” Mizton was walking around him now, “Obviously it wasn’t a Legion tattoo but it kinda looked like it…”

 

“Caine is going to be your new protector,” said Stinger. He was addressing Jupiter, but all his attention was on Mizton.  

 

“What?!” Mizton got to him, keeping her arms glued to her sides, but her long fingernails were visible, “I’ve been doing this for five years, I can continue my mission”.

 

They started arguing, but Jupiter didn’t hear the rest. Her mind was unstoppable now.

 

**_4\. See? You were just a job for all of them. They were never your family. You will never have one. It was all a lie._ **

****

Kiza was the first to notice her state. She always did. 

 

“Mizton!”

 

The girl turned scared at the blond. With just one look the fear became confusion and then realization of what she had said. 

 

“Jupiter I didn’t mean…”

 

“Is al right,” Jupiter’s words came too fast; she wasn’t a good liar, “Can we meet the Captain now? I’d like to know where we’re going…”

 

She walked ahead of them, not sure of where to go but Caine caught up with her easily to lead the road without saying a word; he left a lot of space between them.

 

“Your Majesty,” greeted Captain Tsing as they reached her.

 

“What’s going to happen now?” Jupiter’s mind registered that she sounded rushed and even rude when talking to the Captain, who had been nothing but patient and nice to her, but she didn’t have much time: she needed to be alone.

 

“We contacted Titus Abrasax’s assistant and she’ll board the Cruiser to have a word with Your Majesty. That’s the safest way to proceed…”

 

**_3\. They keep talking about your safety. What do you think could happen to the Queen of the Universe? There must be a reason why Stinger took Mizton away from you…_ **

****

“Is there any place where I can lay down? Just until they arrive… I’d like to rest for a few minutes. Please,” her voice failed her at the end and she felt like a little child asking her mother to take her home. Only her home was unreachable by now and she wouldn’t even know if there was a place she could still consider hers back on Earth. Even if she owned the whole thing.

 

The Captain studied her and then gave a short nod.

 

“Mister Wise, could you please escort Her Majesty to her quarters?”

 

Caine started walking and Jupiter followed without looking back at the others.

 

**_2\. This must be why you wanted to forget. What happened before? What could be so awful that you’d rather live a lie?_ **

****

He stopped abruptly and Jupiter was surprised to see a wall open in front of her. She admired the grey room, almost allowing herself to feel relieved already.

 

“I want to be alone,” she said shyly, not knowing if he would allow it.

 

“As you wish,” he murmured, backing to the wall behind her.

 

She didn't say it, but she was grateful he didn’t call her… that. She entered the room and then the door closed between them.

 

Jupiter shut her eyes.

 

**_1\. All this time you felt that you were empty. You knew it. Everybody knew it. You were right thinking there was something wrong._ **

****

She let the tears fall.

 

**_0\. How do you like being right?_ **


	8. Kiza's shoulder

Kiza found Caine pacing restlessly in the hall, his eyes diverting to the wall every two steps. Or maybe that was the door to Jupiter’s quarters. It was already hard for her to get used again to a spaceship; she could only imagine how it was for Jupiter to live it all for the second time as if it were the first.

“How is she?” she asked sitting on the floor and making a gesture to invite him by her side. Caine seemed surprised to find her there, but did as she asked without complaining. He laid his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

“She cried a lot but I think it’s better now…”

“She always does this, you know? Locks herself up, cries it out and then she moves on.”

“I know”

The defeat in his voice pained her; of course he knew.

“I’m sorry,” she let her head fall to his shoulder, “for earlier. I shouldn’t have said that you looked like her ex”. Caine sighed but didn’t say a thing, so she continued, “but her dates always reminded me of you, you know? I think she was subconsciously picking guys that resembled you…” she could feel him tense, but since they were already on the subject she wasn’t going to stop now, “Did you move on too? Have you met someone else?”

“Yes. That’s why I’m here, because I got a wife and I left her on the battlefield,” his sarcasm made her realize what a dumb question that was, but nothing in his voice made her feel stupid, “I tried a couple of times but it didn’t work out…and your letters weren’t of any help”.

“You got all four, right?” she took an envelope from the pocket of her jacket “Here, this year’s letter. I have a bunch back home, one for every month but Mizton convinced me to resume the whole year in one letter…”

He took the envelope but didn’t try to open it.

“Mizton… what’s her story?” he asked. Of course he would change the subject.

“Pretty much like yours,” the girl sighed and Caine looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

“You mean she was in the Legion?”

“No but her splicer tried to sell her to them.”

“But she’s not spliced for battle.”

Kiza grimaced; it was always uncomfortable to imagine Mizton at war. Even with Stinger’s training she wasn’t built like Caine; she wouldn’t last in the front lines.

“She was meant for domestic or academic service. Her Splicer described her as a rebel, impulsive, defective. That’s not good for either job so he tried to sell her... Dad thinks they wanted her dead. She was fifteen around the time when we were looking for a bodyguard and dad wanted someone who could be a part of Jupiter’s life, not just her shadow, so he hired her.”

Caine chuckled but it sounded sad.

“He saved us all and now we’re in trouble again.”

“Yeah. He’s really worried but I think he’s giving you this chance so you can have closure,” she spoke slowly, measuring her words. She wasn’t there the last time Jupiter and Caine met, but she had an idea of how it all went down. Caine didn’t respond but this time the tension that formed around him made it clear that she shouldn’t go there, “And I’m scared he’s going to send me away with Mizton…”

“Well, at least now you get to see the universe like you always wanted…”

She knew exactly what moment of their lives was on Caine’s mind: their farewell. She was eleven and crying in his arms just before the Aegis took him away to the deadlands, screaming about how she didn’t want to go to Earth. Of course their destinations didn’t compare but she didn’t know that at the moment, and for her that planet felt like a prison for a long time.

“I was so relieved,” she said, lost in thought, “when you and Jupiter came to my dad five years ago. I thought she would absolve you both and we would all be free and happy. So naive,” her voice cracked and Caine moved so he could put his arm around her. She smiled at the irony; she went there to comfort him but she was the one breaking down over his shoulder, “And I hated her so much,” she needed to say it. It was something she had only told Mizton, but she wanted him to know he had someone on his side, “It was so unfair that she could get a fresh start and you had to remember. So I hated her for months…but then I realized that Jupiter was looking for you and she didn’t even knew it…”

“Kiza…”

“I’m not a child anymore, but I do believe that you have another—”

“I’m not here for that.”

Kiza looked at him.

“They why?”

“To get her home safely,” his tone was final. It was the closest he would get to tell her to shut up, “And then it's over.”

Caine’s body tensed. His eyes found the wall just as it opened, letting Jupiter out of her quarters. The girl stared at them confused.

“So you both are friends,” said the girl in a raspy voice, talking to Caine while looking at him with big reddened eyes.

“I’ve known her since she was a baby…”, said Caine helping Kiza to get up.

“And you and I… we’ve never met before, right?” Jupiter’s tone was almost sarcastic. She didn’t care to hide that she was suspicious.

Caine shook his head returning her gaze without hesitation and Kiza had to bite her tongue. How could he lie like that?

Jupiter nodded at last and her shoulders relaxed. Then she turned tentatively to Kiza.

“I need to talk to you. And Stinger and Mizton too…”

“We’ll do that later,” Mizton entered the hall running, “The Abrasax representatives are here, Your Majesty.”

The girl bowed her head and kept her eyes down. Kiza always told her to think before speaking, but Mizton was often on a rush and then spent a lot of time regretting all the things she had said.

Jupiter reached slowly to Mizton’s forehead and pushed her head up gently with her finger.

“Don’t do that. It’s fine,” she said with a little smile on her face. Mizton bit her lip and for a second Kiza thought that she was going to hug Jupiter, but the girl pulled herself together after a quick bitter glance at Caine.

“We better hurry, Your Majesty.”

“Right. Let’s see what this is all about.”


	9. Titus' Last Wish

If time was the most important thing in the universe, then why did he felt so at peace knowing that his was almost over?

 

The tear that fell from his right eye after recording a message for Famulus wouldn’t make his acceptance of death look peaceful, but he really felt as if a weight was lifted off his shoulders.

 

He liked living, that was for sure, but if he were completely honest with himself, he’d admit that a void was born inside his chest the day his mother was murdered and Balem’s death had only made it bigger.

 

After all, they were his family and they had been together for thousands of years.

 

He wiped the tear off and took a deep breath.

 

Titus had spent his life running away from anything that made him upset, and was always in the pursuit of pleasure, but how could he run away from people that didn’t exist anymore? How could he hide from something that was inside of him?

 

Was the rest of his existence set to be like these last hundred years? Did his mother live like that until the day she was killed?

 

He grimaced. Now Balem’s death, although tragic, seemed merciful: it had been relatively fast and lacked the time to reflect and feel remorse over one’s existence.

 

Titus sighed and tried to focus; he still had one thing to do.

 

The novelty made him smirk: he had to hurry up.

 

“Start a new recording,” he commanded.

 

“Yes Lord Titus,” said his chamber presence.

 

He struggled with the ideas rushing through his head. Who was he addressing this time? And what was what he wanted to say? Doing things without Famulus around was a nightmare sometimes.

 

And then he remembered his sister.

 

“I’m sorry Kalique,” he said talking to the air in a slow and grave voice, trying to imagine his sister in front of him, “I’d like to think that loosing me would devastate you; that after all this time I matter to you at least as much as Mother or Balem but I know it’s not true. And with our brother ignoring me even after death, I’m left to wonder what is my place in a house where the only person that cared about me has been gone for centuries. Therefore, I tell you that I’m sorry, because soon enough you’ll feel the same way I do, since I’m the only person that loves you still, and my life is almost over. The good news is that even without Mother, Balem or me, you still have Jupiter Jones.”

 

He smiled thinking about sweet and innocent Jupiter, living inside a fantasy and hiding far away from them, like you would expect from a two thousand year old child.

 

But actually he understood her better now and even had considered following her steps: erasing entire years of one’s memory wasn’t that uncommon for the Entitled, but he didn’t want that. Denial wasn’t his style.

 

He wanted everything or nothing at all.

 

“Jupiter,” he started, trying not to think how different things would be if he hadn’t made so many mistakes,” if you’re seeing this it means that my will was announced and now you are the rightful heir to all my assets, as modest as they are. They will not make up for everything you lost when you had the misfortune of crossing paths with my family, but it’s the least I can do to lift this weight off my shoulders. And even though I know I have no right to ask for anything after what I did, I would like to request that you take care of my sister, who has never wronged you. You know better than anyone how it feels to find yourself completely alone in the universe but it doesn’t have to be that way for either of you. Please consider that Kalique could be your family now.”

 

He stopped then. Was that all? What would Famulus say if she were there? Oh, yes. The soldier.  

 

“Ah, and one last thing,” he smiled mischievously, feeling like a child who was about to say something naughty. He had already shattered Jupiter’s bubble when he named her his successor, and he wasn’t the kind of doing things half heartedly, “If after my death things follow their natural course, it would be safe to assume that Mister Caine Wise has left the Legion and is right behind you at this very moment,” he repressed a delighted laugh. How he would love to see his face; the splice would never learn, “such a good guardian dog… let me give you one last command: don’t let anyone touch Jupiter. I’m counting on you.”

 

The last order came out with an urgent tone in his voice that he couldn’t control. He did mean it. He really didn’t want anyone to touch Jupiter.

 

He got lost in the storm of all the things he wanted: he wanted his mother and brother alive. He wanted Kalique to love him and to be safe. He wanted Famulus to come back from that awfully long business meting but if she did she would stop him and he really, REALLY, wanted to die.

 

“End of the message,” said Titus in a voice that didn’t feel like his, bowing lightly while his hand reached for the cup filled with poison on the table.

 

He could hear their steps outside his chamber.  

 

“Just in time.”

 

He drank it all.


	10. Stinger's conflict

Titus’ chamber dissolved around them.

 

“My Lord killed himself after recording the message,” said Famulus, her face half hidden in the dark of a corner of the conference room. Caine stood like a wall between her and Jupiter and Stinger had instructed Kiza and Mizton to stay in the opposite side of the room. He didn’t want her near any of them.

 

He crossed his arms and shared a knowing look with Diomika, reassuming their silent task of figuring out if Famulus was telling the truth: her reddened and tired eyes were fixed at the point where Titus’ face had been seconds before.

 

Stinger almost felt pity for her, but their brief business history was full of treason, lies and broken promises.

 

“I’m sorry for your loss,” said Jupiter, who didn’t knew any better. The genuine worry in her eyes made him reconsider his orders; keeping her in the dark could make her trust the wrong people, just like the first time. She had taken the decision of forgetting everything believing she would die after a long and happy life without seeing another spaceship ever.

 

But he wasn’t sure how she would react to the truth.

 

“Why would Titus kill himself?” asked Diomika out loud, bringing him back to the matter at hand.

 

“Guilt”, said Famulus firmly and even Caine turned to look at her skeptical, “You didn’t knew him like I do… did…”  

 

“Why was he feeling guilty?” asked Jupiter. Diomika looked like she wanted to answer but Stinger knew she wasn’t sure of what to say, a problem Famulus obviously didn’t have.

 

“He was convinced he could have done something to stop the deaths of his mother and brother,” she explained, her voice edgy, as if the thought of Titus being responsible of anything bad were ridiculous.

 

“I find this hard to believe,” murmured Diomika so that only Stinger could hear her.

 

“Do you think it’s a trap?” he got closer to her, but kept his attention on Jupiter: she was lost in thought and her eyes diverted every few seconds to Caine. Titus’ last message was ill intentioned, like everything else he did.

 

“Isn’t it too crazy to pretend his death just to get Her Majesty out of her exile?”

 

“Not for an Abrasax,” said Stinger, “but maybe somebody did kill him and now Jupiter and Kalique are the only heirs left…”

 

He felt Kiza getting closer to them, trying to listen. He needed to talk to her, convince her to go away for a while, just until they were sure it was safe to be around Jupiter.

 

“What now?” Jupiter asked as she snapped out of her thoughts, and it was the question that Famulus was waiting for.  

 

“You need to assist to my Lord’s funeral and show your respects in order to have access to your inheritance, but that can only happen if you’re qualified competent by the Commonwealth Ministry,” she looked cautiously at Diomika and spoke slowly, “If I’m not mistaken, when you asked for your memory adjustment you declared yourself unfit to control over the assets that Seraphi Abrasax left you, so Your Majesty named Lady Kalique as responsible for the ruling of the Earth and your other planets,” she smiled, happy she wasn’t interrupted and turned to Jupiter once more, “Your Majesty has two options: either you stay and take part on Abrasax Industries or you go back to live on Earth until the day you die.”

 

Stinger saw Jupiter cringe at Famulus’ last word. She had said it in a funny way, as if she mocked the concept of dying.

 

“What if I want to remember?”

 

Caine’s determination to not show any reaction was telling in itself, at least for Stinger: he remembered how his wings used to tense when he was startled by the enemy, but now everything was on his fists and his clenched jaw.

 

The heavy atmosphere of the room broke with Famulus’ answer before Jupiter could take notice.

 

“As your new employee, I can look into that.”  

 

“Who said you work for her?” asked Caine walking towards her in a threatening way that would certainly seem like an exaggeration for Jupiter but that wasn’t enough aggressive in Stingers’ opinion.

 

“Lord Titus left Her Majesty everything he owned, including me,” she explained plainly.

 

“Oh wait,” Jupiter got closer to them. This was it; it had started _,_ “How can you be property? Are you a slave?” she turned to Stinger and Diomika, “What the hell is this?”

 

Their silence had a different feel to it this time: they weren’t trying to find a way around their orders, but they didn’t want to scare her either.

 

“Splices are genetically designed for specific jobs,” explained Caine, all the previous fury drained from his eyes and replaced by appreciation mixed with shame, “splicers sell us and humans buy us, so the majority of us have an owner…”

 

Jupiter held her hands up and he stopped. Stinger could only imagine all the implications and different scenarios running through her head. Then she turned at him in panic.  

 

“Are you… Do I own…?”

 

“No,” he said immediately closing the distance between them and putting his hands on her shoulders to calm her, “Mizton and I are part of the Aegis, not their property. And Kiza is free”.

 

More like a gift from his splicer but Stinger wasn’t going to get into details at that very moment. Jupiter nodded and made an effort to talk.

 

“I want to thank you,” she said, confusing Stinger a little, but then he realized this must have been the reason why she wanted to be alone before: she had sorted her feelings out, “All of you,” she searched for Kiza, Mizton and Diomika behind him, “for taking care of me all this years. I know it must have been hard staying on Earth when you could be anywhere else so… if nothing’s stopping you, you can leave,” her lips trembled, “You can end the mission. I’ll be fine.”

 

“No,” Kiza left the corner and walked to Jupiter, “we’re not leaving.”

 

“We want to help you,” added Mizton.

 

“You can’t,” said Stinger. He couldn’t thank Jupiter right now but he would follow her lead. The girls weren’t safe around her, not away from Earth. He talked to Kiza over his shoulder because he didn’t dare to face her, “I’m sending you to Marcellian.”  

 

“I don’t want to go!”

 

“If I may suggest,” Famulus walked pass Caine being careful to leave enough space between them so not even the hem of her dress could touch his boots, “every woman in the Royalty is in need of handmaids, Your Majesty”.

 

Kiza and Mizton answered at the same time with a “Yes!” and “What?!” Their voices were drowned by Stinger’s strong negative and Caine’s low growl. Diomika and Jupiter just looked at Famulus with wide eyes, not believing she had dared to say that.

 

“Jupiter…”

 

She turned slowly to Kiza and Mizton, clearly distressed. Stinger knew it must have been hard for Jupiter to take the decision of being without the only people she actually knew, and the girl’s weren’t going to make things any easier.

 

“This isn’t Jupiter’s decision to make…” he started but Kiza wasn't going to give up.

 

“It isn’t up to you either. You just said I was free.”

 

Stinger sighed frustrated. For him it was just another discussion with his daughter: a really important one but he was used to this kind of retorts.

 

Jupiter’s stunned expression, on the other hand, showed that the last phrase had meant something deeper to her.

 

“Please, your Majesty,” Kiza bowed her head at the girl.

 

“I don’t agree with this,” she said avoiding Stinger’s eyes, “but you can do as you please…”

 

Famulus smirk didn’t reach her eyes, but she seemed nothing but satisfied when she started touching the screen of her sheave.

 

“I’ll make the arrangements”.

 

Stinger got closer to Jupiter and did his best to dissimulate all the hatred he felt for Famulus as he wishpered to her ear.

 

“That woman needs to go…”

 

Jupiter took a moment to consider his words and he knew what she would say before she opened her mouth. It was all in her big brown eyes: the hunger for trust and information mixed with the shame of not being as strong as she though.

 

“She stays.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long updating this one. It's a struggle to write between the job and my sporadical attemps to see the sun light... but i plan to finish this story >.


End file.
